• Afshin Gharekhani, Mohammad-Reza Khatami, Simin Dashti-Khavidaki, Effat Razeghi, Ahmad-Ali Noorbala, Seyed-Saeed Hashemi-Nazari, and Mohammad-Ali Mansournia.
• Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
• Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 2014 Jun 1; 70 (6): 655-65.

PurposeThis study was designed to investigate the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on depression and chronic inflammation in hemodialysis patients.MethodFifty-four maintenance hemodialysis patients were randomized to ingest two omega-3 (each containing 180 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 120 mg docosahexaenoic acid) or placebo capsules, three times daily for 4 months.Main Outcome MeasuresBeck Depression Inventory (BDI) score and serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, ferritin, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), and ratios of IL-10 to IL-6 and IL-10 to TNF-α were measured at baseline and at the end of the study.ResultsOmega-3 supplement lowered BDI score significantly after 4 months of intervention. Among pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, only serum ferritin level and IL-10 to IL-6 ratio showed significant changes in favor of omega-3 supplement during the study. In linear regression model adjusted for baseline values, omega-3 treatment was a significant predictor of reduced serum CRP, ferritin, and iPTH levels, and increased IL-10 to IL-6 ratio. No significant association was found between the anti-inflammatory and anti-depressant effects of omega-3 supplement.ConclusionsSupplemental use of omega-3 fatty acids decreases depressive symptoms in hemodialysis patients apart from their anti-inflammatory effects.

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